Moving to Ireland from Moldova
What to Expect
Considering a move from Moldova to Ireland? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Moldova to Ireland, you would find that Ireland is 2.4 times more expensive than Moldova overall. A MDL1,300,000 salary in Moldova would need to be roughly €157,000 in Ireland to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English and Irish. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Moldova and Ireland.
What does your salary buy?
MDL1,300,000 → €157,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Ireland
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 93.8% more
Groceries
pay 2.0 times more
Transportation
pay 2.1 times more
Housing
pay 3.4 times more
Childcare
pay 2.5 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.7 times more
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
Cost of living by city
Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).
On average, cities in Ireland cost about 70% more than cities in Moldova.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Moldova to Ireland.
Who's moving to Ireland?
Top countries of origin for Ireland's foreign-born residents.
- 305,197
- 146,211
- 44,229
- 35,190
- 25,371
- 25,104
- · · ·
-
27.4,340
Moldova
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Ireland compared to Moldova.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Ireland performs significantly better than Moldova across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Moldova generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ireland leads in health coverage index.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Moldova generally does better on environment, though Ireland leads in air pollution deaths.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Ireland performs significantly better than Moldova across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Moldova generally does better on employment & economy, though Ireland leads in gdp per capita.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
Ireland generally does better on family life, though Moldova leads in education spending.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), State tax Service (2016), The Office of the Revenue Commissioners (2016). How we calculate this
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Moldova and Ireland. To live, work, or study long-term in Ireland, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Ireland's immigration authority.
Moldova passport holder visiting Ireland
Visa Required
Ireland passport holder visiting Moldova
Visa FreeData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Ireland than Moldova?
On average Ireland is around 143% pricier than Moldova, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Ireland?
Budget about €39,250 for 3 months in Ireland (based on a MDL1,300,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Ireland?
Connectivity is usually fine (Ireland: 32.3 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Ireland offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Ireland safe for expats?
Ireland performs significantly better than Moldova across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Ireland is 0.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.5 in Moldova.
How is healthcare in Ireland compared to Moldova?
Moldova generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ireland leads in health coverage index. There are 38.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Ireland, compared to 40.2 in Moldova. Ireland scores 83 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Moldova: 71).
What language do they speak in Ireland?
The official languages in Ireland are English and Irish. In Moldova, the official language is Romanian.
